Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Automotive News
  • Automobilwoche
  • Automotive News Canada
  • Automotive News China
Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • Newsletters
  • Login
  • HOME
    • Latest news
    • Automakers
    • Suppliers
    • New Product
    • Environment/Emissions
    • Sales By Market
    • On The Move
    • Auto Shows
    • Munich Auto Show
    • Geneva Auto Show
    • Paris Auto Show
    • Beijing Auto Show
    • Shanghai Auto Show
  • Features
    • Long Read
    • Interview of the Month
    • Focus on Electrification
    • Focus on Technology
    • Segment Analysis
    • Cars & Concepts
    • Supplier Spotlight
    • Europe By The Numbers
  • Opinion
    • Blogs
    • Commentary
    • Guest columnists
  • Photos
    • Photo Galleries
    • Geneva Photo Gallery
    • Beijing Photo Gallery
    • Frankfurt Photo Gallery
    • Paris Photo Gallery
    • Shanghai Photo Gallery
  • Podcasts
  • Car Cutaways
  • EVENTS
    • ANE Congress
    • ANE Rising Stars
    • ANE Eurostars
  • More
    • Publishing Partners
    • Social Media
    • Contact Us
    • Media Kit
    • About Us
    • Capgemini: All or nothing: Why circular business models require a holistic approach
    • Capgemini: Invent Head on automotive takeaways from CES 2023
    • Capgemini: Securing the industry's future through a radical rethink
    • Capgemini: Succeeding with the automated driving journey through AI
    • Capgemini: The circular economy is spurring new thinking on EV batteries
    • Capgemini: Toyota and Capgemini leaders on how OEMs can handle industry changes and succeed
    • HEXAGON: Plugging into data is the only way to make winning EVs
    • TUV Rheinland: Ideas, services and certifications for smart mobility
    • TUV Rheinland: Testing of automated and autonomous vehicles on test tracks
    • Toyota Europe
    • UFI Filters
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Environment/Emissions
June 27, 2022 09:15 AM

Maruti bets on hybrids over EVs in move to lower emission vehicles

Maruti bets on hybrids over EVs to reduce emissions in the immediate future.

Bloomberg
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print
    Maruti Suzuki sign
    REUTERS

    Maruti Suzuki believes electric vehicles are not the answer to reducing carbon emissions in India, the world’s third-biggest releaser of greenhouse gases, at least not in the immediate future.

    India’s largest automaker believes that vehicles powered by hybrid technology, natural gas and biofuels present a better path toward a cleaner future than full-electric cars considering the nation generates about 75 percent of its electricity from dirty coal, Chairman R.C. Bhargava said in an interview.

    “Talking about electric cars without looking at the greenness of the electricity generated in the country is an inadequate approach to this problem,” Bhargava said in an interview from his home in Delhi last week.

    “Until the time we have a cleaner grid power, it’s necessary to use all the available technologies like compressed natural gas, ethanol, hybrid and biogas, which will help reduce the carbon footprint and not push any one technology.”

    Automotive News Europe Congress: July 14

    Automotive News Europe CongressJoin us in Prague for a comprehensive series of keynote addresses, top-level presentations and panel discussions focused on Managing Disruption While Planning For The Future. Register today to hear from experts from Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai Motor Europe, Toyota Motor Europe, Stellantis Group, Polestar and more!

    Learn more & register

    Those views put Bhargava at odds somewhat with several of the world’s largest automakers, including Volkswagen Group, which is forecast to unseat Tesla as the leading maker of EV as soon as 2024.

    Toyota, which sells the most cars globally, is putting a lot of money into electrifying its lineup too but believes in hybrid technology as a logical interim step while the industry builds out stable battery supply chains.

    India’s shift to EVs is also much slower than other major markets like China and the US even though Prime Minister Narendra Modi has committed to making the South Asian nation a net-zero carbon emitting one by 2070.

    Consultants Arthur D. Little estimate that by 2030, electric passenger cars will make up only about 5 percent of total EV sales. More progress on the two- and three-wheeler front will bring the automobile battery-powered total to about one-third.

    Charging EVs with clean energy and reducing dependence on coal is difficult in India, the world’s second-most populous country with some 1.4 billion people. The nation was forced to import millions of tons of coal after electricity demand soared amid scorching summer temperatures and rising industrial activity after the pandemic.

    Maruti plans to launch its first hybrid car under a partnership between its parent Suzuki and Toyota within 12 months, Bhargava said.

    Hybrid cars are also a better alternative than EVs given India lacks adequate charging infrastructure, he added.

    Related Article
    Toyota's electric push is dramatic reply to critics
    Suzuki, Stellantis offices raided in diesel-rigging probe

    Maruti will additionally move “aggressively” into cars that run on compressed natural gas because they are cleaner than gasoline or diesel models and cheaper than EVs, making them a viable option for low-income consumers who want to upgrade from a two-wheeler, he said.
    Although compressed natural gas is a fossil fuel, it’s one of the cleanest burning in terms of emissions.

    As the availability of chips improves, Maruti expects to sell 600,000 compressed natural gas cars in the year ending March 2023 versus 230,000 units the previous fiscal year. Maruti currently has nine compressed natural gas models and is planning to introduce more such variants.

    Using biofuels to power passenger cars is another alternative, however the investment to make it commercially viable is lacking, Bhargava said.

    There are problems with biofuels also, with their prolonged use in cars potentially extremely harmful to the planet’s limited farmland.

    India currently blends gasoline with 10 percent ethanol, which is largely derived from sugarcane, while roughly two-fifths of America’s corn and soybean crops end up burned in engines.

    Indonesia’s expected consumption of 10 billion liters of biodiesel this year will use up almost a quarter of its palm oil crop.

    But India does have a big advantage when it comes to generating biogas, considering it has the largest cattle population in the world and the chief raw material for biogas is cattle dung, Bhargava said.

    Maruti is working with the government and oil companies to boost the production of biogas, he said, adding that the government should give incentives for its production and create vendor development projects to improve the collection, transport and storage of dung from villages.

    Developing cleaner alternatives will mean Maruti and its suppliers will have to bolster their engineering capabilities, Bhargava said. Maruti plans to hire more engineers, he said, declining to specify the percentage of manpower expansion.

    “EVs are not going to be a large part of car sales, irrespective of what other manufacturers are saying or planning,” Bhargava said. “The ability to get green transportation is going to take time in India because of the nature of our electricity generation.”

    DAILY NEWSLETTER: Sign up and get the top news of the day in Europe every business weekday.
    RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
    Lamborghini takes cautious stance on e-fuels
    Recommended for You
    Lamborghini Revuelto 7.jpg
    Lamborghini takes cautious stance on e-fuels
    Iveco grille
    Iveco CEO says Euro 7 regulation is 'plain stupid'
    Engine on display
    EU takes key step to ending combustion-engine era
    Sign up for free newsletters
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    You can unsubscribe at any time through links in these emails. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.

    Get Free Newsletters

    Sign up and get the best of Automotive News Europe delivered straight to your email inbox, free of charge. Choose your news – we will deliver.

    You can unsubscribe at any time through links in these emails. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.

    SUBSCRIBE TODAY

    Get 24/7 access to in-depth, authoritative coverage of the auto industry from a global team of reporters and editors covering the news that’s vital to your business.

    SUBSCRIBE NOW
    Connect with Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Instagram

    Founded in 1996, Automotive News Europe is the preferred information source for decision-makers and opinion leaders operating in Europe.

    Contact Us

    1155 Gratiot Avenue
    Detroit MI  48207-2997
    Tel: +1 877-812-1584

    Email Us

    ISSN 2643-6590 (print)
    ISSN 2643-6604 (online)

     

    Resources
    • About us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise with us
    • Advertise with Us
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Awards
    • Rising Stars
    • Eurostars
    • Leading Women
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Automotive News Europe
    Copyright © 1996-2023. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • HOME
      • Latest news
      • Automakers
      • Suppliers
      • New Product
      • Environment/Emissions
      • Sales By Market
      • On The Move
      • Auto Shows
        • Munich Auto Show
        • Geneva Auto Show
        • Paris Auto Show
        • Beijing Auto Show
        • Shanghai Auto Show
    • Features
      • Long Read
      • Interview of the Month
      • Focus on Electrification
      • Focus on Technology
      • Segment Analysis
      • Cars & Concepts
      • Supplier Spotlight
      • Europe By The Numbers
    • Opinion
      • Blogs
      • Commentary
      • Guest columnists
    • Photos
      • Photo Galleries
      • Geneva Photo Gallery
      • Beijing Photo Gallery
      • Frankfurt Photo Gallery
      • Paris Photo Gallery
      • Shanghai Photo Gallery
    • Podcasts
    • Car Cutaways
    • EVENTS
      • ANE Congress
      • ANE Rising Stars
      • ANE Eurostars
    • More
      • Publishing Partners
        • Capgemini: All or nothing: Why circular business models require a holistic approach
        • Capgemini: Invent Head on automotive takeaways from CES 2023
        • Capgemini: Securing the industry's future through a radical rethink
        • Capgemini: Succeeding with the automated driving journey through AI
        • Capgemini: The circular economy is spurring new thinking on EV batteries
        • Capgemini: Toyota and Capgemini leaders on how OEMs can handle industry changes and succeed
        • HEXAGON: Plugging into data is the only way to make winning EVs
        • TUV Rheinland: Ideas, services and certifications for smart mobility
        • TUV Rheinland: Testing of automated and autonomous vehicles on test tracks
        • Toyota Europe
        • UFI Filters
      • Social Media
        • Facebook
        • Instagram
        • LinkedIn
        • Twitter
      • Contact Us
      • Media Kit
      • About Us